The Witch from Australia
by Victoria Regina
Summary: In their fifth year, a witch from Australia comes to Hogwarts. Seems to catch the eye of at least three of the boys!
1. On Platform Nine and ThreeQuarters

The first day at a new school is nerve-racking. The first day at a new school in a different country is even more nerve-racking. The first day in a new school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in a different country? Can you imagine anything scarier?  
  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, England. I'll tell you what, it's a far cry from Quarrian Comprehensive Witchcraft and Wizardry Academy, Australia.  
  
That's right. I'm a witch, proud (ex) student of Quarrian, about to start at Hogwarts in Year 10. Well, it's actually "fifth year" in England.  
  
1 September. I'm at King's Cross Station with Mum and Dad, standing between Platforms 9 and 10, not quite sure of how to get onto Platform 9 3/4. Obviously, there's a special way of getting to Hogwarts that none of the Muggles know about. Too bad nobody told me how to get onto it! In Australia, we had always gotten to Quarrian by ferry. The Muggles' eyes would slide off the tiny quay at the end of the harbour, allowing all students to get on the ferry unobtrusively.  
  
Suddenly I saw someone with an owl in a cage pass me. He ran at the wall between the platforms and disappeared in the blink of an eye.  
  
"Mum! Dad! I know how to do it!" I cried. My parents came over to me and I told them what I had just seen the boy do. While I was explaining, a whole family of red-heads ran through the wall. I broke off my explanation and simply said, "See?"  
  
We all took hold of my luggage trolley and ran at the wall. When we got to the barrier, we ran right through it and found ourselves in a train station like no other, crowded with children and parents. I decided to avoid an emotional farewell and kissed my parents, hugged them tight and said goodbye. I watched them stand back and refused Dad's offer of helping me onto the train. I would manage; besides, I was 15 years old and I didn't want to seem helpless.  
  
So as I struggled to get my luggage onto the train, I knew my dad would be itching to help me. Fortunately I heard a male voice say, "Excuse me, do youwant some help?" I looked up with a grateful smile and was taken aback by the good looks of the boy who offered a helping hand. He was tall, with messy, black hair, green eyes and glasses.  
  
I finally stopped staring and answered, "Yes please, if you don't mind." So together we unloaded the rest of my luggage and got it all onto the train. The boy asked me, "Are your parents not here?" I pointed at them and replied, "Yes, but I thought I might as well start off by being independent. I told Dad that I'd be fine."  
  
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you Australian?"  
  
"Yep. We moved here a few weeks ago. I think I'm in fifth year."  
  
"Oh! So am I!"  
  
"Good. At least I know one person already. Well, sort of," I prompted, hoping he'd introduce himself. He did, a little flustered, "Oh! Sorry, I'm Harry Potter."  
  
"Nice to meet you Harry Potter. I'm Gabriella Foropov."  
  
"Wow! What a name! Are you sure you're Australian?"  
  
"Yes, but my great-grandparents moved to Australia from Russia."  
  
"Cool! I'm just plain old English," Harry quipped. I was trying to think of something to say to this when I heard a female voice behind us.  
  
"Harry! Where have you been? Ron and I have been looking everywhere for you!"  
  
Turning around, I saw a very pretty girl with lots of brown hair.  
  
"Hallo! My name is Hermione Granger. You must be new," she (correctly) observed. I nodded and stuck out my hand as I said, "I'm Gabriella Foropov. I'm from Australia, in case you couldn't tell. Oh, and I'm also in fifth year."  
  
"Excellent. I think I'm going to like you!" I grinned and decided to ask Harry and Hermione a favour, "Hey you guys don't mind if I sit with you on the train, do you? It's just that I don't know anyone and." I trailed off as Harry and Hermione nodded in unison.  
  
"So you won't mind helping me carry my stuff, will you?" I asked nervously. They grinned and Harry winked and picked up a bag as he said, "You're pushing your luck!" We picked up the rest of it and were just walking towards the door between the carriages when a slimy voice behind us sneered, "Well, well, well. Look what we have here. Potter and Granger have dumped Weasley and have a new friend."  
  
Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes and Harry muttered out of the corner of his mouth, "Malfoy," as we turned around.  
  
"So Potter," Malfoy continued, for I presumed that the pale blonde boy was Malfoy, "I suppose your new friend fits the criteria? Orphan, poor, mudblood. That's what you like, isn't it?"  
  
Harry's fists were clenched and before he could say a word I stepped in coolly, "You must be Malfoy. I'm Gabriella Foropov. My parents are on the platform, I went to a very private school in Australia and I descend from one of the oldest wizarding families in Russia. Is that good enough for you?"  
  
Malfoy was taken aback at this and a strange expression crossed his face, fleetingly. Then he muttered to his two fat henchmen, "Let's go." I wondered at his lack of persistence, but let it go. I turned back to Harry and Hermione and saw that they had equal looks of surprise on their faces. I ignored that and picked up a bag, waiting for Hermione to lead the way.  
  
In the carriage they had chosen sat a tall, gangly boy, apparently one of the ones in that family of red-heads I had seen on the platform. Harry introduced us, "Ron, this is Gabriella Foropov. Gabriella, this is Ron Weasley." We shook hands and smiled and I addressed all of them, "Listen, if we're going to be friends, please call me Ella." They all agreed and we loaded up my luggage with three other sets of bags. 


	2. The Journey to Hogwarts

Disclaimer: Sorry! Forgot to do this for the first chapter. So, everyone except for Gabriella and her parents belongs to J.K. Rowling.  
  
Thanks to Leilani for my first review, and a very supportive review it was, too! Hope you enjoy the next chapter as much as the first!  
  
CHAPTER TWO - The Ride to Hogwarts  
  
Once we were all settled in our seats, Hermione and I facing Harry and Ron, Ron asked, "So are you from Australia or Russia, then?" I smiled and answered, "Australia, but I descend from Russia. Hey, can you tell me, what was that guy's problem back there?" Harry told Ron that I was talking about Malfoy and then began, "You see, he's always hated the three of us, but me especially. He has a sort of elitist mind, and thinks that anyone with the qualities he mentioned before are below him."  
  
"Funnily enough," Hermione continued, "We're all eligible in one of those categories. I'm a 'Mudblood', Harry is an orphan and Ron."  
  
"I guess I'm poor, hey?" Ron suggested, unashamed.  
  
"Sorry Ron."  
  
"That's okay. Besides, you don't need money to be happy. Although, it would be nice to have a bit more of it sometimes," Ron admitted.  
  
"Oh, geez, I hope you didn't think I was elitist, because I'm not, really. I just hate bullies and I was defending myself," I explained in a hurry. Harry and Hermione assured me that they understood and I relaxed.  
  
"So did you go to a Witchcraft and Wizardry school or a Muggle school in Australia?" Hermione asked. I smiled at the memory of my old school and answered, "Definitely not a Muggle school! It was called Quarrian Comprehensive Witchcraft and Wizardry Academy. It was pretty good, too. How many schools like Hogwarts are there in England?"  
  
Harry and Ron looked baffled, but Hermione promptly said, "None. Hogwarts is the only one. Of course, there are a few on the Continent, like Beauxbatons Academy and Durmstrang Institute." she trailed off looking dreamy.  
  
"Hermione, are you still thinking about Krum?" Ron asked suspiciously. "Forget about him! You'll never see him again, unless Bulgaria is in the Quidditch World Cup again!"  
  
"Oh! Of course, I guess you guys saw that, too. Wasn't it a fantastic game?" I exclaimed. They all agreed and Ron commented, "Yeah, we got to go to it, actually. Very cool!" That got us talking about Quidditch for a while. I confessed my hopes of being picked for a team at Hogwarts, in the position of Keeper.  
  
"Well, Harry's Gryffindor Seeker. Maybe if you're in Gryffindor you can try out for the team," Hermione suggested. Harry's eyes lit up and he agreed, "Yeah! Now Wood's been gone for a year, there's an open Keeper position on our team. We didn't get to try anyone out for it last year."  
  
He stopped abruptly and all three of them went all quiet, with sad faces. I debated whether or not to press it, and finally, after a long silence, I ventured, "Why didn't you get to try anyone out last year?"  
  
Harry cleared his throat and replied, "Well, we had the Tri-Wizard Tournament last year, between Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. There wasn't an inter-house Quidditch competition because of it. Anyway, to cut a very long story short, there was no point in getting a new keeper until this year. Now we've just got to hope that you're in Gryffindor."  
  
This explanation didn't tell me anything about why they had all gone quiet and sad, but I decided to leave it. Instead, I said, "I hope I'm not stereotyping, but I've read up on Hogwarts and its houses. Are Malfoy and his henchmen in Slytherin?"  
  
They all nodded and Hermione said, "I'm impressed! Finally, someone else who actually reads in this school! Did you read Hogwarts: A History?" I nodded and shrugged as I offered, "I like reading. Have you read the Narnia books?"  
  
"They're some of my favourites!"  
  
"Mine too! Oh, I suppose you haven't read these, because they're by an Australian, but one series of books I love are The Obernewtyn Chronicles."  
  
"No, I haven't read them."  
  
"Well, I've brought them with me, so if you ever want to read them, just ask."  
  
While Hermione and I talked about books, Harry and Ron started playing wizard chess. Harry, I noticed, was not very good. Or maybe it was just that Ron was an exceptionally good player. Hermione and I started watching them play, and we weren't interrupted until.  
  
"Anything to eat, dears?" a kindly old witch pushing a trolley of food asked us. We all pulled out our money and bought as much as possible. We pooled our food on the table between the seats and munched away happily on Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and Pumpkin Pasties. I was, however, somewhat disappointed to see that they didn't have my favourite snack, Fluffy Cottontails. I voiced my disappointment and all three of them looked at me as if I was crazy.  
  
"What? They're beautiful! They're like fairy-floss pies," I described them.  
  
"What's fairy-floss?" Ron asked, his mouth full of Pumpkin Pasty. I swallowed my Frog and looked at them like they were crazy.  
  
"It's that stuff Muggles have at circuses and the Easter Show and stuff like that. You get it on a stick and it's light as air."  
  
"Oh! Candy-floss, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. Then she turned Ron and explained, "Ron, it's like spun sugar. Very sweet and fluffy." Ron looked satisfied and bit decidedly into another Pasty.  
  
"Hey guys!" someone outside our little carriage said. I looked up and saw three more boys smiling in greeting at Harry, Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Hallo Seamus, Dean, Neville," Harry greeted them. He continued, "This is Ella. She's in fifth year too. Ella - Seamus, Dean and Neville. They're all Gryffindors."  
  
I stood up and shook there hands. Seamus (obviously Irish) had blue eyes, pale sking, freckles and brown hair. Dean was a good-looking footballer- esque boy with streaked hair. And Neville? Well, okay, he wasn't good- looking, but he had a nice, kind face.  
  
"Nice to meet you all," I said. Dean winked and asked, "I guess you're Australian, huh?" I nodded and volunteered some more information, "Yeah. I went to Quarrian Comprehensive Witchcraft and Wizardry Academy in New South Wales."  
  
"Wow, it sound really posh! Are there other magic schools in Australia?" Seamus asked. I replied, "Yes, there's one in each state, except for Canberra. They share Quarrian with New South Wales, because they're so small."  
  
"Ella, are you into Quidditch at all?" Dean pressed. I grinned and answered, "Yeah! I was my team's Keeper at Quarrian." Dean nudged Harry and lifted his eyebrows.  
  
"Well, let's hope you're in Gryffindor then, eh Harry?"  
  
"What? Oh, yes, let's," Harry responded, looking a little murderous.  
  
"Well, we'd better go and change into our robes, guys. See you later!" Neville called out as he dragged the other two away. As soon as they were gone, Harry warned me, "Don't be fooled - Dean likes football a lot better than Quidditch!"  
  
"Okay. I'll try to remember that."  
  
"Ella, we should put our robes on too. Let's go to an empty carriage, our a girls-only one, anyway," Hermione suggested. I nodded and got everything I needed, following Hermione on the swaying train. 


	3. The Truth About Harry

Disclaimer: the same old stuff! I don't own anyone except Gabriella and her family.  
  
Thank-you to Lucy and aims80, my fellow Aussies, for your supportive reviews!  
  
CHAPTER THREE: The Truth About Harry  
  
Hermione and I found an empty carriage, where we put on our uniforms, with our robes over them. As we made our way back to Harry and Ron, Hermione said out of the blue, "Listen, don't worry about Harry and Dean. Dean's been trying to get all the girls ever since Harry took the twins, Parvati and Padma, to the Yule Ball. Something about them 'getting the best- looking girls in the year.' Anyway, I think Dean's just jealous of all the attention Harry gets."  
  
"Why does Harry get so much attention?"  
  
"Oh! Don't you know about him and Voldemort?"  
  
"The Dark Lord? What about him and Harry?"  
  
"Well, maybe it's not my place to tell you," Hermione sounded doubtful.  
  
"Hermione, listen, I know that until, like, fourteen years ago, Voldemort was killing people all over England. My mum and dad told me about that, but they never said why he'd stopped."  
  
"I guess you'd be too tactful to ask Harry about it, wouldn't you?"  
  
"Ask him about what, Hermione?" I was getting exasperated.  
  
"Well, I'll give you a rundown of Harry's life, just to put everything into perspective. When Harry was one year old, Voldemort killed both of his parents and then tried to kill Harry, but failed. Harry's got a lightning- bolt shaped scar on his forehead and Voldemort escaped, just barely alive.  
  
"Harry grew up with his aunt, uncle and cousin; they all hate him and hate anything not normal, like magic. Anyway, while we've been at Hogwarts, Harry's come face to face with Voldemort three times. He's getting stronger - he's got his most intimate group of followers back now," Hermione ended ominously.  
  
I thought about this for a while and was still thinking about it when we got back to the carriage. I was so quiet that Harry finally asked me, "Ella, is something wrong?" I came out of my daze and tried to answer, but couldn't make the words come out of my mouth. Hermione finally stepped in bluntly, "I told her about you and Voldemort, Harry."  
  
"What?"  
  
"She wouldn't have asked you, I know it. So I thought I had better tell her. Just the facts," Hermione defended herself.  
  
"Why, though?"  
  
"I could tell she was bothered about the rivalry between you and Dean. So I just told her why."  
  
"Listen, I don't want to be the cause of an argument here," I cut in. "Harry, all I know is how you came to be an orphan, that you've faced Voldemort [Ron winced here] three times and that he's getting stronger," I summed it up.  
  
"You know, it's not that simple," Harry began. I stopped him, "Of course it's not. Nothing ever is, but I don't want you to tell me the whole story if you don't want to. Now," I said, changing the subject, "I want to know how I get into Gryffindor."  
  
"Oh, well there's this hat," Ron began, "Called the Sorting Hat. You put it on and it sort of talks to you, and you can talk back to it and it decides which house you would be best in."  
  
"Cool, so nothing scary?"  
  
"Oh no!" Hermione scoffed. "You're lucky you're not in First Year! We had no idea what we had to do when we were waiting to be sorted. I thought we'd have to perform a spell or something!" Harry chimed in, "Yeah, when I saw the Sorting Hat I thought we might have to pull a rabbit out of it!"  
  
"You're lucky you don't have older brothers! Fred and George told me that I'd have to wrestle a troll!" Ron exclaimed. We all laughed at that one, because trolls are three times as tall as humans, at the very least!  
  
Once we'd calmed down, I asked, "So Fred and George are your brothers, Ron?"  
  
"We are indeed!" two identical voices said from outside our carriage. I looked out and there stood a pair of identical, red-headed twins, presumably Fred and George.  
  
"Hi, you must be Fred and George. I'm Ella, from Australia," I introduced myself, shaking their hands. I kept looking from one to the other, trying to figure out how I'd learn to tell them apart.  
  
"Oh, come on! We're not that good-looking!" Fred, or George, joked. I giggled and explained, "No, I'm just trying to figure out how I'm going to tell you apart, but you're just too much alike!" They said in unison, "Ohhh! Well, I'm Fred and I've got a mole on my neck. George doesn't. That's about it, really." I peered at Fred's neck and saw a tiny mole on the right side.  
  
"Great. I'll need Harry's glasses every time I want to talk to one of you!" I said sarcastically. Hermione piped up, "Don't worry. You'll probably be with one of us and we can tell them apart now. Don't ask me how, we just can."  
  
"Okay, but I'm gonna hold you to that Hermione!"  
  
Harry was about to say something, but the train was slowing down, blowing its whistle.  
  
"We'll see you later at the feast. We've got to get our stuff. See you later!" Fred and George called out as they turned and left. I asked the others, "How much of this do I take with me?"  
  
"None. You can leave everything on the train, it'll be up in our rooms after the feast," Ron quickly said, in the rush to get off the train. Hermione grabbed my hand and yelled over racket everyone on the train was making as they tried to get off, "Stay close to us or you'll be stuck on a boat with the First years!" I did as she said and clung tightly to her hand as we stepped out onto the platform at Hogsmeade Station. 


	4. The Sorting Hat

DISCLAIMER: Same old, same old! By the way, sorry if the chapter names sound a bit familiar, but I'm crap at thinking up new ones, and these just make so much sense.  
  
Thanks again to all my faithful reviewers - Aims, Damia, Kim Malfoy and Alekz!  
  
Now, on with the story!  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: The Sorting Hat  
  
A giant of a man was looming over the four of us, saying amicably, "All righ' there Harry, Hermione, Ron?"  
  
"All right, Hagrid," they all replied.  
  
"An' who's this one then?" Hagrid asked, indicating me.  
  
"Oh, this is Ella, she's from Australia. Ella, this is Hagrid, the gamekeeper and teacher of Care of Magical Creatures," Harry introduced us. I put my hand in Hagrid's giant one and he beamed at me.  
  
"Pleased to meet yeh, Ella. A friend of these three is a friend o' mine!"  
  
I just nodded back, a small smile on my face. I was bit scared that he was going to shake my arm off, actually! He finally let go and farewelled us, yelling over the din, "I'll see yeh all at th' feast, then!" He walked away, calling out, "Firs' years! Firs' years, this way, over here!"  
  
Hermione pulled me towards the water and helped me into a boat. The boats seemed to hold six people, and the four of us were soon joined by Neville and a small, red-headed girl who looked remarkably like Ron. Greetings were made all around and I noticed that this girl blushed whenever she looked at Harry. She was (finally) introduced as Ginny, Ron's younger sister.  
  
"Hi Ginny, I'm Ella Foropov. Are you in Gryffindor, too?"  
  
"Yes, I am. Are you Australian?" she asked me in reply. I nodded and then thought out aloud, "You know, everyone I've met so far, except for Malfoy and his henchmen, is in Gryffindor. Isn't there anyone else in the other houses?"  
  
"Of course there are!" Harry laughed. He continued, "We just don't tend to mix with the other houses that much. Okay, we sometimes have classes with another house, but we sit at our house tables for meals, barrick for our house teams in Quidditch and each house has its own common room. So really, there aren't that many opportunities for us to mix." I nodded to show that I understood and everyone was silent for a while.  
  
Suddenly -  
  
"Ella! Look up there!" Hermione grabbed my arm and pointed. I looked up in that direction and saw the outline of a magnificent castle, full of lights. It looked just beautiful against the night sky and I realised that this was Hogwarts.  
  
The boats made their way down a lake and stopped at the entrance to the castle. Students were pouring in the enormous double doors and talking at the tops of their voices. All of a sudden I was feeling nervous about attending a school with such an enormous amount of students.  
  
"Come on, Ella!" Hermione was calling out to me, "I'll take you to Professor McGonagall, so you can be Sorted with the First years. Don't worry, you'll be fine! Professor McGonagall is a bit brusque, but she's kind underneath it all. We'll see you two inside, okay?" I waved to Harry and Ron as they wished me luck and Hermione guided me up the stairs.  
  
"Professor! This is the new fifth year student from Australia, Gabriella Foropov. I thought I should bring her to you, seeing as she has to be Sorted and all," Hermione explained to a stern-looking woman. She nodded and replied, "Thank-you Miss Granger. I can see we made the right decision in making you a Prefect. Now, you go on and join Potter and Weasley for the Feast. I'll look after Miss Foropov."  
  
Then she turned to me and said, "Miss Foropov, I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House. Come along, you will see Miss Granger at the Feast later on." I waved goodbye to Hermione and she gave me an impulsive hug, which surprised me, whispering, "Good luck! You're a Gryffindor, I just know it!"  
  
I fearfully followed Professor McGonagall inside the castle and marvelled at its magnificence. We ended up at another pair of extremely large double doors, where a big group of nervous-looking young students stood around, seemingly uncomfortable. Professor McGonagall raised her hands for silence and said, "Welcome, all. I am Professor McGonagall. In a few moments you will be Sorted into your school houses. These houses are something like a family to you while you are at school. You will eat together, have lessons together and spend your free time together. While your triumphs will earn you points for your house, any rule-breaking will lose points for your house. Now, follow me please and don't dawdle!"  
  
There were murmurs behind me about Professor McGonagall's speech. I was impressed, too, of course, but I didn't have anyone to talk to. The Great Hall was magnificent, and I looked up to see the ceiling I had read so much about - it was bewitched to look like the sky outside. The first year students were all whispering about it and wondering what made it like that, while I listened to them, feeling somewhat superior.  
  
We followed Professor McGonagall up to the front of the Hall, just below the teachers' table. The Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore was smiling kindly at all of us, as if to wish us all luck. Then he stood up and announced, "Before we begin our Feast, we shall have our annual Sorting!"  
  
Professor McGonagall started reading out names and when she passed the letter 'F' I realised that I would be Sorted after all the first years. While I was waiting, I looked around the Hall at all the faces. I picked out the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables easily; Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw weren't so easy, until I saw a boy who had just been Sorted into Hufflepuff go to one of the tables.  
  
While I was looking around, Harry caught my eye, waved and winked. I gave a small smile back, starting to feel queasy as Professor McGonagall got to the end of the alphabet. She finally put down her parchment roll and looked up.  
  
"Ordinarily, Hogwarts does not accept new students after they have passed the age of eleven. However, this year we are joined by a fifth year witch from Australia, Gabriella Foropov. So I would like you all to help her feel welcome, as she does not come here with a great contingent of other students. Gabriella, please come and be Sorted," Professor McGonagall invited me. I looked up at everyone's faces (I had been staring at my toes during Professor McGonagall's speech, out of embarrassment) and stepped over to the stool where all the first years had sat to be Sorted.  
  
I sat down and Professor McGonagall put the raggedy-looking Sorting Hat on my head. Or rather, over my eyes! It was so big that it completely covered my head.  
  
"Ah! Late starter, are we?" the Hat asked me. I jumped when I heard it speak that first time, to tell you the truth. I decided to answer it back and whispered, "No, just a late starter at Hogwarts."  
  
"Well, I can see that you would be perfect in two houses. You are determined, a hard worker - perfect for Hufflepuff."  
  
"No, I want to be in Gryffindor!"  
  
"Well, that was my other choice. You have all the qualities of a Gryffindor - brave, loyal, honest. Yes, yes, let's put you in GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat yelled the last word and the Gryffindor table erupted into cheers. I took the Hat off and walked over there quickly, feeling so grateful that I was trembling!  
  
"Ella! Ella! You're in Gryffindor! I knew you would be, didn't I say it?" Hermione cried, hugging me. I nodded, almost crying with happiness. Ron and Harry clapped me on the shoulders and Fred and George and Ginny all grinned at me. A little way down the table Seamus, Dean and Neville were all smiling and cheering in my direction and once again, I couldn't help but notice how handsome Dean was!  
  
* * *  
  
A/N: I just found a website that has proper descriptions of some of the characters and apparently Seamus and Dean are nothing like what I describe, so sorry about that! I'm not changing, though! 


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